Mast saddle



1. F. G0DFREY.

MAST SADDLE.

APPLICAUON FILED SEPT. 9,192l.

1,427,950. Patented sept. 5, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. VE I I l e li J. F. GODFREY.

MAST SADDLE. PPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, i921- v' l l,42?,950 PatentedSept. 5, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

JOHN F. GODFREY, OF ELKHART, NDIANA., ASSIGNOR T0 THE GODFREY CNVEYOR CO., OF ELKHART, INDIANA, A GORPQRATIQN OF INDIANA..

Meer SADDLE.

Application filed September 9, 1921. Serial No. 499,505.

To all whom t may coa-cern Be it known that JOHN F. GoDrRnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useul improvements in Mast Saddles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved mast saddle and more particularly to a device of this character adapted for use in securing cables to tops of masts in connection with cablcway conveyors. i

in the construction of cableway conveyors, it is common practice to secure the main track cable to the mast head and then to guy the mast independently to dead men. This makes a rather awkward construction, in that it makes it diiiicultto take up slack in the track cable and requires the introduction of turn buckles or the equivalent at the junction of the cable and mast head. The track cable in such conveyors becomes slack during use and must be tightened bv the turn buckles at the mast head. This tightening` must be done upon the top of the mast. Y

A further diiiiculty with such construction lies in the fact that the turn buckle prevents the conveyor trolley from closely approaching the mast head.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mast saddle adapted to receive the track cable of a cableway conveyor and to permit the end of this cable to extend downwardly to the ground.

It is an additional object to provide a saddle wherein lateral guy cables are secured in place and where such guys may consist ot a single cable extending over the mast cap and clamped thereon.

It is a further object to provide a device which is simple in design and construction I and which may be readily and easily applied and adjusted. Other and further objects appear as the description proceeds.

ln the form of my device which I have selected for purposes ot illustration, the mast saddle comprises a body member adapted to be secured to the top of a mast, this member having a longitudinally extending seat formed therein for the reception of the track cable. The seat has its rear portion inclined downwardly so that the cable may be extended to the ground without a sharp bend. Clamps are provided for securing the cable in place relative to the saddle. A laterally eX- tending groove is provided Jfor the reception of transversely extending guy cable. This groove 1s upon a different level so that the guy cable clears the track cable. Means are provided for clamping the guy cable independently of the track cable.

l have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device; y Figure 2 1s a plan view of the body member; i

Figure 3 is a view oi' Figure 1 as seen from the right;

Figure 1- is a section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 2, and f Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings; the body member 6 is provided with the downwardly extending shoulders 7 adapted to engage the mast head and with the bolt holes 8 by means of which the member is secured in place upon the mast head. The longitudinally extending groove 9 is provided, the rear portion of this groove inclining downwardly as best shown in Figure 1.

A pair of clamping members 11 are secured in place upon seats 12 formed on the body member, yby means oi1 bolts 13. shown in Figures 3 and 4f, these clamping members 11 are provided with grooves 14 to firmly engage the cable. A transverse groove 15 extends on a lower level than the groove 9 and its lateral portions 16 are inclined rearwardly and downwardly and pass between seats 17 upon which are secured clamping members 18, by means of bolts 19.

In the use of the device, the body member or saddle is secured firmly in place upon the mast head. The track cable is passed over the saddle, fitting in the groove 9 and eX- tending downwardly from the rear portieri 10 to the ground where its end is secured to a dead man or 'an equivalent device.

A turnbuckle or similar member may be placed in the cable adjacent the ground without in any way shortening the effective length of the track. When the track cable is properly tightened the clamps 11 are brought to bearto hold it firmly clamped to the saddle. In this way the track cable serves as a backstay.

Lateralstays or guys may comprise a single As y cable extending` across the cap track grooves l5 and l@ with its opposite ends secured to the ground. When proper adjustment is secured the clamps 18 are brought to bear upon the cross cable.

lit an independent back stay is used, the main track cable need not be clamped upon the saddle, and it can then be adjusted from the ground without sending a man to the mast top. If the track cable is used as a backstay, the clamps l1 must be loosened before t Y itening the cable. The tightening, however, may be done from the ground,

.This is a much simpler proposition than sending a man to the mast top to do the tightening` at that point.

The play over the top of the saddle assures equal pull upon the side guys which are adjusted before they are clamped. Additional backstays may be readily used by simply looping` them around the front of the mast either above or below the main track cable.

The device is simple in design and may be readily installed and adjusted, It is com posed of but few parts and is adapted for conunercial use and production.

lt is my intention to cover all inodilications of my device coming,` within the spirit and scope of the followingclaims.

l claim:

l. It mast saddle comprising a body mem- 'ber adapted to be secured to a mast top, said body having,` grooves for the reception of cables, and clampingmembers associated with the body member and adapted to secure the cables in place.

2. A mast saddle comprising` a body member adapted to be secured to a mast top, said body having` grooves for the reception of cables, said grooves crossing` each other and being; upon different levels whereby cables therein clear each other, and clamping members associated with the body member and adapted to secure the cables in place.

3. A mast saddle comprising a body member adapted to be secured to a mast top, said body having; grooves ttor the reception of cables, said grooves crossing each other and being` upon different levels whereby cables therein clear each other, and a pair of clamping members associated with each groove, the clamping;v members of each pair being' located upon opposite sides of the intersection ot the lgrooves. l

'l-. A mast saddle comprising' a body member adapted to be secured to a mast top, a longitudinal groove in said body member adapted to receive a track cable, a tranversely extendinggroove adapted to receive a guy cable. the lgrooves being,` upon di'lierent levels whereby cables therein clear each other, and means for clamping the guy cable upon either side of the track cable.

5. A mast saddle comprising` a body member adapted to be secured to a mast top, a longitudinal groove in said body member adapted to receive a. track cable, the rear portion of the groov being inclined downwardly. a transversely extendinggroove adapted to receive a guy cable, the lateral portions of the groove inclining' downwardly and to the rear, the grooves beingupon ditferent levels whereby cables therein clear each other, and means for clamping the guy cable upon either Side of the track cable.Y

Signed at Elkhart, Indiana, this 6th day of Sept., 1921.

JOHN F. G-ODFREY. 

